Frame VIN Stamp Machine

[Michael H.]

As promised in a previous post, pic of frame VIN stamp at St. Louis plant.

[Michael H.]

Re: Frame VIN Stamp Machine

This is the way things were SUPPOSED to be done when installing the frame VIN characters on the frame rail. The tool was lowered into position, locked onto the frame rail and the trigger pulled. All of the characters would be in a row with a consistant length of the number package from frame to frame. Things didn't always happen this way though.

[Michael H.]

Frame VIN HAND Stamp

When the machine was broken, which it often was, the characters were hammered in by hand.

[Mike M.]

How was the impression made-Pressed or Impact? *NM*

[Michael H.]

Re: How was the impression made-Pressed or Impact?

Michael,

I'm not sure on this but I seem to remember a clank or clunk when the trigger was pulled so I would guess it was air operated impact stamped. That particular area of the line was extremely noisy so one more clank wasn't memoriable. I may be able to find out for you if it's important.

[John H.]

Re: How was the impression made-Pressed or Impact?

Mike -

The powered stamping tool utilized an indexing series of discs (like slicing an egg into eight equal pieces); the outside of each slice had number dies on it, and each of the slices "indexed" sequentially like odometer wheels. The "egg" pivoted on an axle, driven by an air cylinder; the first impression started with the "egg" pivoted fully in one direction, and "rolled" against the frame as the cylinder rotated it fully in the other direction. The operator then moved the tool to the second location, activated the trigger again, and the cylinder rotated the "egg" back again in the other direction, creating the second impression of the same number. The tool then un-clamped from the frame and the operator pulled a lever which indexed the last digit (or two digits), advancing the disc(s) to the next sequential number for the next frame coming down the line. The finished "rolled" impression of the VIN in the top of the frame rail looked like the photo below.

As Michael posted earlier, the tool broke down occasionally, and the frame was supposed to be stamped manually - note the Chassis Broadcast sheet under the box of stamp dies in Michael's photo - it had the car's VIN on it for his reference (the "tank sticker", or Corvette Order Copy, did NOT have the VIN on it, until 1971); this "Broadcast Copy" is probably the most elusive piece of internal plant paperwork - only one has ever been found that we're aware of, as it was part of the "de-papering" process at the end of the line.

It was also not unusual for the tool to fail and the frame not to get stamped at all if nobody was free to chase the frame down the line to hand-stamp it; almost nobody paid any attention at all to the VIN derivative on the frame except the operator who ran the stamping tool, as it was never seen again.

[John H.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

The "egg-stamper" was made by the George T. Schmidt Co. in Chicago; we bought the same basic tool (with different locating and clamping details) for all Chevrolet assembly plants.

[Joseph T.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

John

Did you know John Evans (Chief Inspector at the St.Louis Plant)?

[Michael H.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

Thanks John. I was hoping you would have the info that Michael Murray requested. As many times as I've watched that operation, I should have remembered if it slammed the numbers into the frame rail or rolled them on quietly, as you describe. That area of the plant was so noisy that one more or less noise just wasn't at all remarkable.

I still have all of the old George T. Schmidt catalogues somewhere. Amazing, some of the products they sold then.

BTW.. I have about 20 hours of audio tape from inside the old St. Louis plant that I'm sure you would enjoy. I'll bring it to the Florida meet next year. (if I actually show up this time)

[John H.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

Yes, I knew John quite well - he was the Planning Coordinator in the late 60's when Bob Blubaugh was the Chief Inspector; Ed Teske, who ran the plant as General Superintendent (under Lou Biskach, who was Plant Manager of the "big" passenger/truck plant next door), was a real piece of work, if you never met him

[Joseph T.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

John

I met John Evans while living in St.Louis and before he passed I did a video tape interview.

He had lots of great stories..including the responsibility along with Harvey Green to move the Corvette operation from Flint to St.Louis.

As you know John was a Harvard educated renaissance engineer responsible for many technical manufacturing improvements including how cars were protected during transit, types of new equipment that needed to be used in assembly etc..

He made many internal recommendations through the Chevrolet MIP program that were instituted including the idea to ship Corvettes via rail.

I have always wondered why he has not received more attention for his many contributions.

[Anthony F.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

John,

You may remember me, Tony Feckter.

You might mention that Bruce was the inspection Forman for that area during the 60's until he transferred to Bowling Green. Bruce had an inspector station in the repair area right after the Brake Stamp Process and right before the Body Drop. It was the responsibility of the inspector to check the complete number to the inspection ticket & build sheet.

The stamping machine itself would sometimes not stamp or miss-stamp. The operator was sometimes the problem due to not resetting the number. A chassis repairman was stationed there to correct problems that the inspector found or problems coming down the line that the Production Supervisor had him work on.
This repairman had a hammer (as pictured above) and a set of stamps and would ensure that the number was corrected before the body was dropped. While the inspector signed off on the repair he would then logged that into a special logbook at his station. I do not know where that logbook went but it would be interesting to see today.

[Mike M.]

Thans Guys...Great Stuff! *NM*

[John H.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

Joe, "manufacturing guys" never get the glory - they just get the job done, come hell or high water, every single day, or get the crap kicked out of them. The "glory" has always been reserved for engineers and stylists

[John H.]

Re: How was the impression made- ADDENDUM

Tony -

I'm sure that logbook went in the dumpster, along with all the other neat internal documents (including George Heberling's Local Deviation files from his Resident Engineer's office) when they turned the lights out for the last time in 1981